Photographer: Georges Boulougouris

Brussels European Council, 18-19/10/12

José Manuel Barroso, President of the EC, Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, and the Heads of State or Government of the EU met in Brussels for the European Council hosted by Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council.
During the final joint press conference José Manuel Barroso stressed that the Compact for Growth and Jobs agreed in June 2012 had not to stay only on paper. When asking the EU citizens to make major sacrifices, it was necessary to provide them with hope, a realistic prospect of growth and assurance for the most vulnerable.
This Growth Compact, an important investment package worth €120 billion, was not yet fully implemented. The President then gave concrete examples of areas where the implementation had to be sped up in such as tax on savings, energy taxation, public procurement reform or boost for venture capital.
He then stressed that the financial sector also had to make a fair contribution to the recovery. The EC would take the following week the first step towards launching enhanced cooperation on a Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) and would present an action plan on tax fraud and tax evasion before the end of the year 2012.

Flags of the EU Member States and poster with the logo of the Cypriot Presidency of the ...Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Banner of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Flags of the EU Member States and poster with the logo of the Cypriot Presidency of the ...Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Flags of the EU Member States and poster with the logo of the Cypriot Presidency of the ...Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Discussion between Herman van Rompuy, on the right, and Catherine Ashton Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Discussion between Herman van Rompuy, on the right, and Catherine Ashton Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012

Discussion between Herman van Rompuy, on the right, and Catherine Ashton Reference:P-021969Date:18/10/2012